And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
Parallel translations
- WEB Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war.
- BSB But Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who were returning from the battle.
- NKJV But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.
- NASB But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
- NLT But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses was angry with the army's officers when they returned from battle.
Overview
Moses' anger arose because the officers had spared the Midianite women, who had earlier been the instruments of Israel's downfall. His reaction shows righteous concern that God's judgment be carried out as intended. Godly leaders grieve when sin's sources are left unaddressed, knowing the danger they pose to the covenant community.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Num 31:48And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:
- Exod 32:22And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
- Lev 10:16And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,
- Eph 4:26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
- Exod 32:19And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
- 1 Sam 15:13–14And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.
- Num 12:3(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
- 2 Kgs 13:19And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
- 1 Kgs 20:42And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 31:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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